Re-Use Question

[Ninety Caliber]

I have some rounds that have high primers and some with bulged cases that won't chamber( from my first try at loading). After pulling the bullets, what do you do about live primers?

[Ranch Dog]

After pulling the bullets, what do you do about live primers?

I punch them out with a Lee Decapper die. I have a clean primer catch tube for my Challenger press that I use to collect them as they are removed. Of course, wear safety glasses.

I've done quite a bit of this work and have never popped a primer. I even had a large amount of factory ammo that I didn't feel like selling because of the issues of shipping it. I pulled the bullets and sold them, pulled the primers and used them, sold the brass, and finally dumped the powder on my wife's potted plants.

There was a time that might not worry too much about it but I will chase a single primer now, I never throw one away.

Oh, I have never experience a primer failure after it has been reused and I have pulled hundreds of them now.

[Ninety Caliber]

RD, punching them out with the decapper won't set them off?

[joec]

I also often pull live primers using the Lee die however I always use the universal decapping die but it just doesn't size brass is all. I've never had one pop either but I simply don't bang the arm as I'm coming to the top of the stroke.

[Maximumbob54]

I also often pull live primers using the Lee die however I always use the universal decapping die but it just doesn't size brass is all. I've never had one pop either but I simply don't bang the arm as I'm coming to the top of the stroke.

Same here. I justify using the universal over the sizing as I hope it would not contain the pop and send the rod flying. I wear eye protection and wear gloves when doing this. Odd though, I've never thought to wear hearing protection...

[Ranch Dog]

It is the same die that Joec & Maxbob mentioned.

Lee Decapper Die (90292)

[Ninety Caliber]

I just have the sizing and decapping die, is it safe to use?

[Ranch Dog]

I just have the sizing and decapping die, is it safe to use?

What I would worry about is the case creating resistance against the die. With that resistance you start pushing harder. Sizing typically delivers a bit of a jolt at the point of decapping.

Lee also offers a 22 Caliber & 30 Caliber Decapper & Base. I think these tools would be safer than a resizing die.

[Ranch Dog]

I was reloading some ammo to day and noticed that the core wire in the decapping rod in the Lee sizing dies is longer than that in the Decapper die itself. I suspect that is to punch the primer out before the case enters the die. Thinking about this, I have knocked a perfectly good primer out of my case when using my turret press when not paying the appropriate amount of attention. Nothing happened except losing a perfectly good a primer.

I think the difference of having a primer pop between the two types of dies is that the decapper die is going to the contain the ignition within the over sized barrel of the die and with the resizing die the ignition is going to be out in the open. With either, after studying it a bit more this morning, I don't think it is going to be much of an issue.

[Ninety Caliber]

Thx much RD!